Apparatus for governing prime movers



E. VOLET APPARATUS FOR GOVERNING PRIME MOVERS Filed Aug. 26 1922 l atented Sept. 2343i, Witt ELDOUAED VOLET, F GEEQ'EVA, SWXTZERLAND, .[ifia'SIG-N'OR 43F ONE-HALF T0 ATELXERS DES CHARMILLES', SOCIETFE ANONYME, OF GENEVA, SWITZERLAND.

AIPPABATUS FOR GOVERNING PRIME MOVERS.

Application filed August 26, 1922. Serial No. 584,583.

' To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that .1, EDOUARD VoLn'r, a citizen of Switzerland, residing at Geneva, Canton of Geneva,-in the Confederation of Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Apparatus for Governing Prime Movers, of

which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an ep- 19 paratus for governing prime movers provided, like other known apparatus with a servo-motor controlling the admission of a motive fluid to the machine and being itself controlled by a distributor placed by means of at least one relay in dependence on a tachometer and on an accelerometer. lit is distinguished therefrom by the fact that the tachometer and the accelerometer govern directly and independently of each other the supply of a fluid used in the relay.

The accompanying drawing represents diagrammatically a constructional form of the apparatus given by way of example. Fig. 1 is a transverse section thereof. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof on the line 2 2 'Fig. 1.

3 is a partial longitudinal section thereof on the line 33 Fig. 1. v

The shaft 1, the speed of which is always n'oportional to that of the machine to be. regulated, carries round in its rotary movement a rin i2 for-min a ll wheel. and a socket 3 on which is pivoted at 4: in any manner, a centrifugal mass 4 forming a governor weight. The shaft 1 also carries round in its rotation the stem 7 of an ordinary hydraulic relay 5 which is adapted to move axially. This relay controls, through the medium of a distributor 18. the servo-motor 1% which operates the shaft to actuate the distributing mechanism of the prime mover. the. gate or sluice mechanism of a hydraulic turbine for example. This stem 7 which is hollow, permits a chamber 6 of the relay 5, in which a variable pressure exists, to communicate with two openings 8 and 9 through the medium of passages in the stem'7. The opening of the orifice 8 is regulated by the fly wheel 2 and the opening of the orifice 9 by the governor weight 4. This latter is provided with an inclined face 10 which constitutes a regulating device for the supply of the fluid 2, in case of acceleration or retardation, is

balanced by the elasticity of ,the spokes 14 which fix it on the shaft 1, it being under stood that the spokes 14- are elastic in. order to make the apparatus operative. The ring 2 carries also an inclined face 15 which 0on stltutes a lsecond regulating device for the relay 5.

The workirm of this constructional form. t3

of the invention is as follows:

. At the normal speed of operation the acceleration is zero, the spokes M connecting the'shzfft 1 to the ring 2 are not subjected to any tangential force if it be assumed that the hydraulic reaction is negligible. Their mean relative position is therefore quite determined. The governor weight eccupiesa position determined by the ring 11 on the one hand, and by the tension of the spring/1K which has to balance the centrifugal force on the other hand. Under these conditions the relay 5 itself occupies its mean position when the quantity of fluid which escapes through the sum of the oritices 8 and 9 is equal to that which passes from the constant supply chamber 17 of the relay 5 through the orifice 16 into the chamber 6. This mean position corresponds to that of the distributor l8 and the servo-motor 19 is therefore stationary. The lever 12 and ring 11 merely serve to determine the variation of speed between full and no load at a determined value. In ordinary service the lever 12 moves the socket 3 toward the right, whenever the servomotor 19 moves to the left, (a movement which corresponds to the opening). If on the other hand the servomete'r 19 moves to the right, the socket 3 will be moved to the left. Since the socket 3 carries the governor weight t, a displacement of this latter will cause for an obturation of the orifice 9, from this an acceleration of the speed will ensue, which causes the equitransmit this acceleration to the ring 2 unlibrium to be restored. When the servomotor is stopped at the extreme right. position the normal speed is greater than when the servomotor is stopped at the extreme left 'position. This diflerence of speed is useful for the service in parallel of a plurality of regulators. If however a single regulator is used this difference of speed may be eliminated without causing the function to be influenced disadvantageously.

In order to simplify the description, it is assumed that this difi'erence of speed is negligible.

If now the speed changes, for example when there is an abrupt removal of load on the prime mover, the shaft 1 is accelerated, carrying round directly in its rotation the socket 3 and consequently the governor Weight 1-, and also the stem 7 of the relay 5. n the contrary the spokes 14 having to dergo an elastic distortion which is proportional to the value of the acceleration itself.

The effect of the removal ofthe load is therefore: fi l. To augment the free section of the oricc 8. y

2. To augment the free sectionllot' the ori fice 9 the centrifugal forcedeveloped by the governor weight having augmented, These two facts both produce a. movement of the movable right. The relay .5 operates and controls the distributor l8 and produces by its agency a. closingof the servo-motor 19.

As soon as the excess speed has reached a certain value the orifice 9 is opened wide and remains in this'state until the excess speed after having reached its maximum has returned to this same value. During the whole of this period the variation of speed has no influence on' the governing and this latter becomes purely accelerometrical. The

fly wheel then plays the same part as a governor weight in a direct acting ordinary governor with this difference that the govv erning will establish not 'a constant speed but rather a constant acceleration of determined vahie. It the free section of the orifice?) did not change from normal the governing would establish corresponding 2111-.

celeration, that is to say the zero acceleration But as the opening of'the orifice 9 has been broughtto a greater value than its normaljvalue itjis therefore necessary. inorder "tll atf tlierelay may occupy its position of equi briur n, that the opening of the (H '.lfice,,8"'slnillfliavc been brought m a lo y r value than its; normal value, that to say that tlieaccel'eration shall be negative In other words the accelerometric governing will establish a constant acceleration but a negative one. 'Iirconsequencc after having passed through its maximum, the, speed diminishes in following a linear law,

part of the relay?) towards the I'Vhen the excess speed has diminished sufiiciently the governor weight resumes its influence and a combined control by the governor weight and the fly wheelis again produced.

The closing of the orifice 9 when the governor weight 4 approaches the normal position, that is to say when the excess speed tends towards zero, produces a movement of the movable part of the relay 5 such that the movement of the servo-motor which it determines simultaneously causes the acceleration to tend towards zero thus re-establishing equilibrium.

During the latter period to each value of the excess speed (that is to say to each position of the governor weight 4) corresponds a value of acceleration (that is to say a position of the fly wheel 2) such that the simultaneous realization of these two values causes the relay 5 to take up its position of equilibrium. The excess speed which just produces the maximum opening of the orifice 9 and the negative acceleration of equilibrium of the preceding period constitute a first pair of corresponding values. The zero excess speed and the zero acceleration is another pair. Between these two limiting pairs there is naturally a series of others, according to a well defined law. If duringthis period the simultaneous variations of the acceleration and of the excess speed depart from this law, the relay acts shown that the tachometer and the accclcr-' ometer both govern directly and independently the passage ofth'e fluid in the relay.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a relay, a servomotor and devices for controlling the admission of a. motive fluid to a prime mover of a shaft, a flywheel mounted on the shaft. a fluid conductor leading tronrthe relay and connected to and rcvoluble with the sald shaft, anda weight member carried by the shaft and adapted to contro-l thc flow of a fluid through an opening in the said conductor.

2. In [an apparatus of the class described,

the combination with a relay, a servo-motor and devices for controlling-the admission .1 "I hollow stem leading from the said relay and connected. togthe shaft {so toturn therewith, there being an (inc ing ,in the said hollow stem for the outlet/eta liquid passing through the hollow stem, and a governor;weight revolublewith. the shaft and adapted to control the flow of the liquid through the-saidopening in the hollow stem. i 1

3. in an apparatus of the'class described. the combination with a relay, a servo-motor and devices for controlling the admission ofa motive finid to a 1n-imc .11nove-r of a shaft, a fly wheel. mounted on the said shalt, a hollow stein connected at one end to the said relay and at the other to the said shalt so as to turn. therewith, a socket siid'ahle on the said shaft, and a governor weight carried by the said socket and adapted to cooperate with a portion of the said hollow stem to control the flow of a liquid through an opening in the same.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a relay, a servo-motor and devices for controlling the admission 0i. a motive fluid to a prime mover ofa shaft, a fly wheel. carried by the said shaft, a hollow stem connected at one end in the said relay and at the other in the said shalt so as to turn therewith, the said hollow stein having a branch extending into the lly wheel, a socket movable on the said. shalt, a governor weight connected to the said socket, and means for normally maintaining the governor weight in position to coact with the end of the branch of the hollow stem to control the flow of liquid through an opening, in the extremity oi the said branch of the hollow stem.

In an apparatus of the class described, the combination. with a relay, a servo-motor and devices for controlling the admission of a motive fluid to a prime mover of a shaft, a fiy wheel carried by the said shaft, a hollow stem connected at one end in the said relay and at the other in the said shalt so as to turn therewith, the said hollow stem having a branch extending into the Lily wheel, a socket movable on the said shaft, a governor weight non-rigidly connected to the said socket, means fornormally main 'taining the governor weight in position to enact with the end of the branch of the helllow stem to control the l'low of liquid through an opening in the est emit of the said branch of the hollow stem, and means operated by the devices for controlling: the admission of the motive llnid to the prime mover for actuating the said socket and thereby determining the position of the ,ernor wei ht relativel to the end of the branch of the hollow steinv 6. In an apparatus oi? the class described, the combination with a relay, 3. servoanotor and devices for controlling the adnfi branch extending to a lace of the fly whee said lace being adapted to control the new of the liquid passing through the orifice adjacent the extremity of the said branch of the hollow stem.

' 7. In an apparatus of the class ilcscribed, the combination with a relay, a servoanotor and devices for (OIItIOlllI'Ig the admission of a motive fluid to a prime mover, of a shaft, a fiy wheel comprising a rim and elastic spokes connecting the same with the shalt, a hollow stem loading at one end from the said relay and at the other connected to the said shaft so as to turn therewith, and abranch extending from-"the said hollow stem to the fly wheel, there being an open ing adjacent the end of the branch of the hollow stem the flow of a liquid being c0ntrolled by the face of the fly wheel; I

S. In an apparatus of the classdescribed, the combination with a relay, a servo-motor and devices for controlling the admission of a motive fluid to a prime mover, of a shaft, a' fly Wheel mounted on the shaft, a hollow stein leading at one end from the said relay and the other connected to the shaft to turn therewith, branch arms extending from the said hollow stem to the fly wheel with open ings at the ends thereof, the opening at the end of one of the branch arms lying adjacent a face of the fly wheel to which this branch arm of the hollow stein extends and governor weight revolnble with the fly wheel and adapted to cooperatewith the. extremity of the other branch arm to control the flow of a liquid through the said opening therein.

9., In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a relay, a serv0-motor and devices for controlling the admissionof motive fluid to a prime mover, of a shaft, wheel mounted on the said shaft, a hollow stem leading at one end from the said relay and connected at the other end in the said shaft so as to turn therewith, branch arms extending from the hollow stem in opposite directions to the liy wheel. and each having; an opening at the end thereof, a socket member slidable-on the said Shflfiy a governor weight carried by the socket nie -iher and adapted to cooperatcwith the extremity of one of the branch arms of the hollow stem to control the flow offa liquid to the opening therein, the extremityof the motor branch arm extending to the fly wheel with an inclined face coactingz with the extremity of this branch arm to control the flow of the liquid through therein, and means operated by the devices for controlling the admissions? the motive the opening a fly wheel comprising a rim" and elastic spokes connecting the same to the shaft, a

hollow stem with branch arms extendingat' right angles from the saidhollow stem to the said fly wheel, and eaeh having an opening at the ends thereof, the hollow stem leading atoneend from the relay to said open1ngs,'.a socket member revoluble with and slidable upon-the said shaft, a governor weight mounted on the said socket member and adapted to 000 eratewith the extremity of one of the brane arms of the hollow stem to control the-flQizvbfthe -liqnid through the opening therein, a s ring for maintaining the normal relations iip between the said governor weight and the extremity of the branch arms of the hollow stem, the other branch arm of the hollow stem extending 25 to the fly wheel and coat-ting with an inclined face to control the flow of the liquid through the opening in the end of this branch arm of the hollow stem, and means coaeting with the devices for controlling the 30 admission of the motive fluid of the prime mover for shifting the said socket member and the parts associated therewith on the said holiow shaft.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my 35 signature in presence of two witnesses.

v EDOUARD VOLEZF.

Witnesses:

MAURICE THUnY,

EDOUARD EMMANUEL. 

